tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23786410287964043962024-02-19T05:17:37.149-08:00More Second ThoughtsNews items off the cutting room floor of Tracy Press editor Jon Mendelson.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.comBlogger842125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-8165377232094185532012-07-20T04:00:00.000-07:002012-07-20T04:00:16.840-07:00More no-tax talkWhile we're on the topic of no-tax pledges (as the second section of this week's column is) I think Congressional candidate Ricky Gill is making the same mistake Leroy Ornellas did in jumping aboard the no-tax pledge.<br />There’s a lot to like about Gill, a young and promising Republican looking to unseat Democratic Rep. Jerry McNerney in a district that will include Mountain House and Tracy north of Interstate 205. But signing onto the no new tax pledge seems sadly run-of-the-mill.<br />Governing is about the art of the possible, and sometimes securing the general welfare means compromise — possibly even accepting that raising revenue is equally as valid a solution to budget problems as cutting costs.<br />But insisting everything must either reduce revenue or be revenue neutral seems to cut out a wide swath of middle ground. <br />Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-19626362192027407372012-01-20T15:54:00.000-08:002012-01-23T13:57:05.172-08:00Thoughts from this week's paper• Thank the rain gods for the wet stuff that started falling Thursday — but we could have done without the wind that's turned Eleventh Street east of town into a scene from the Wild West. The tumbleweeds are out in force, and at one point in the early afternoon were completely blocking the No. 2 westbound lane just off the Interstate 5 off-ramp. Dodgy stuff.<br /><br />• Rep. Jeff Denham <a href="http://www.tracypress.com/view/full_story/17199909/article-Denham-means-business?instance=home_news_bullets">has serious credentials</a> in the 10th Congressional District race and widespread appeal in the Central Valley. But he might find himself out of step with his flat-tax proposal, which would shift the income tax burden down the country's pay scale. Note his answer to a question about that downside paid no mention of the average worker or taxpayer. (Yes, close to 50 percent of American's don't pay income tax under the current system — but they still pay plenty in payroll taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, etc., so please don't call those folks freeloaders.)<br /><br />• It'll be interesting to see how Denham and his Democratic opponents, so far Mike Barkley and Jose Hernendez, approach the water issue in this district. Tracy and its environs south draw water from the Delta-Mendota Canal, and the quality and quantity of that water would in theory be increased if a Peripheral Canal is built around the lower reaches of the Delta. But that samesaid canal would decimate the water supply for San Joaquin County's top industry — agriculture — an industry that Denham, at least, has sworn to protect. With water in these parts a zero-sum game, it looks like folks running in the 10th District race will have to choose between safeguarding agriculture in San Joaquin or Stanislaus counties.<br /><br />• Police are making <a href="http://www.tracypress.com/view/full_story/17245816/article-Police-keep-tabs-on-gangs?instance=home_news_lead_story">more contact with gang members</a>, and the number of documented gang members in Tracy has gone up. It's disconcerting to think that gangs' precence in Tracy is increasing. But these numbers could also be comforting — as long as the rise is reflective of a police force that's getting a more accurate picture of the reality on the ground.<br /><br />• Spoiler alert: Evidently, West High School's <a href="http://www.tracypress.com/view/full_story/17224084/article-Basketball--Wolf-Pack-dominates-visiting-Stagg?instance=sports_lead_story_left_column">boys basketball team</a> is the younger, updated version of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phi_Slama_Jama">Phil Slama Jama</a>. Look for some coverage of their high-flying attack in future issues of the Press.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-89124017414387651092011-12-23T11:19:00.000-08:002011-12-23T11:26:15.360-08:00Special meeting sparsely attendedOne more point worth making about the City Council's <a href="http://www.tracypress.com/view/full_story/16874431/article-Council-approves-plan-to-entice-new-industry?instance=home_news_lead_story">special meeting decision </a>to green-light a business incentive program: lack of public involvement.<br /><br />As noted in today's Tracy Press story, only four people attended the meeting, which was called Monday, publicized Tuesday and held Wednesday, at a time two hours earlier than normal because of the normally scheduled Planning Commission meeting. Also, three of the four people in the audience were members of the Press.<br /><br />The city manager suggested that the special meeting was necessary because the opportunity presented to the city might slip away if the council waited until the regularly scheduled Jan. 1 meeting.<br /><br />Still, the timing of the meeting -- one day after the canceled regularly scheduled council meeting - was curious, and its last-minute nature contributed to the lack of public scrutiny on what could prove to be a huge deal for the city of Tracy.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-68009717640095798992011-12-19T13:07:00.000-08:002011-12-19T13:19:08.637-08:00Local newspapers still have special placeReports of the demise of the printed word might be greatly exaggerated, at least when it comes to community newspapers.<br /><br />A <a href="http://www.cnpa.com/full_story.cfm?id=3719">recent industry survey</a> found what some local newshounds already suspected: When it comes to tight-knit communities, readers prefer a local newspaper when it comes to getting their information about their town as well as advertising specials.<br /><br />Just one more reason I'm thankful to be part of the Press.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-53193553166839050742011-12-02T15:30:00.000-08:002011-12-02T15:31:59.170-08:00A timely downtown cleanupLeaving the Press on Thursday, the leaves downtown had been piled into huge drifts by the winds blowing through the previous two days. Fun for shuffling feet through fall foliage, but rather unsightly.<br /><br />On Friday morning, they were gone, collected by city crews.<br /><br />Seems that somebody knows small, daily maintenance is as critical to a welcoming business district as is million-dollar makeovers.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-75764818507538833862011-11-01T16:09:00.000-07:002011-11-01T16:23:34.694-07:00Downtown problems, case in point<a href="http://www.tracypress.com/view/full_story/16240143/article-Helm%E2%80%99s-Ale-House-closed-due-to-problems-with-neighboring-business?instance=home_news_bullets">I've put this opinion in print before</a>: If everyone doesn't get on the same side — that means the city, business owners and property owners — downtown Tracy will languish, redevelopment effort or no.<br /><br />A case in point happened this week, when structural problems left unaddressed by a property owner <a href="http://www.tracypress.com/view/full_story/16240143/article-Helm%E2%80%99s-Ale-House-closed-due-to-problems-with-neighboring-business?instance=home_news_bullets">forced the closure </a>of Helm's Ale House. This is a blow to downtown, as the ale house was exactly the type of outfit a bustling center needs — a restraurant anchoring a busy streetcorner that caters to a wide variety of customers, but that also fosters nightlife and gives people a reason to visit the area.<br /><br />(Plus, the beer selection was superb.)<br /><br />The problems to the building were known by the property owner for some time, but according to business owner Dave Helm, they either went wholly unaddressed or the landlord tried to fix the issues with substandard Band Aids.<br /><br />Don't maintain the building that houses an up-and-coming business that pays you rent — it's the perfect way to kill downtown growth.<br /><br />It's a story that will repeat unless everyone with a stake in downtown gets on the same page and realizes all players benefit from prudent cooperation and investment.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-14906081752603178342011-10-27T21:22:00.000-07:002011-10-27T21:27:51.350-07:00Proceed with your campaignsLooks like the many folks who have flocked to the redrawn districts around Tracy and San Joaquin County seeking political opportunity (it's like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sooners">Sooners</a>, but for cash and power as opposed to land) can continue their campaigns.<br /><br />The <a href="http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/10/california-supreme-court-rejects-challenges-to-senate-congress-maps.html">state's supreme court dismissed</a> a <a href="http://www.tracypress.com/view/full_story/15579026/article-Suit-could-change-local-Senate-district?">challenge by California Republicans</a> that said some of the boundaries were drawn in an underhanded manner.<br /><br />Sorry GOP, the underhanded stuff happened when lawmakers of both parties were allowed to draw their own districts, which is what happened in 2000. That's why <a href="http://www.tracypress.com/view/full_story/15144840/article-Our-Voice--Proof-positive-that-citizens-do-it-better?">we had citizens do it </a>this time.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-88575953235643388472011-10-27T11:50:00.001-07:002011-10-27T11:51:26.929-07:00Occupy the Central ValleyOccupy Wall Street — the loose movement decrying corporate greed and government complicity — hasn’t made an appearance in Tracy, to my knowledge. But it has appeared in San Joaquin County.<br /><p></p> <br />A smattering of protesters has been sighted in the downtown of county seat Stockton, carrying the now well-known “We are the 99%” signs and trying to convert passers-by to the cause.<br /><p></p> <br />Still, some folks seem unsure about what the protesters want. In fact, some of the protesters don’t even seem to know what they want.<br /><p></p> <br />In my opinion, they’re standing up for a very American principle — the idea that when power is concentrated in the hands of too few, democracy dies.<br /><p></p> <br />Whether in the form of wealth, political influence or a police state, too much power spread among too few is anathema to the republican form of government envisioned in the Constitution. And that’s true whether those few are government officials, businessmen, or anyone else.<br /><p></p> <br />I think the protesters are, though maybe not in eloquent terms, giving voice to the simmering sentiment that the American deck is more and more stacked in favor of those with the deepest pockets, biggest microphones and closest connections.<br /><p></p> <br />I don’t think these protesters want a hand out. I think they want a level playing field.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-73401906695030076802011-10-24T12:29:00.000-07:002011-10-24T13:17:14.162-07:00The roots of Tracy's lost courtroomWe all know things don't look good for the county's superior court system. Tracy just <a href="http://www.tracypress.com/view/full_story/15840191/article-A-shut-case?">lost its courthouse</a>, after all. But according to an article at Law.com, the current underfunding of the San Joaquin County courts is the product of a flaw in how the state decided to originally allocate money for the institutions.
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<br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">San Joaquin County jurors can't get coffee in the waiting room. There's no bottled water in the courtrooms and no Post-It notes for employees to use. Private security guards have replaced sheriff's deputies at some screening stations and civil courtrooms.</span>
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<br />This month court leaders took more drastic action, closing the Tracy courthouse and all but one courtroom in Lodi. Small claims court will be dark most days of the week.
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<br />San Joaquin is one of the state's handful of chronically underfunded courts, as calculated by a formula tied to caseload. Its problems stem from its days under county control. State court funding levels were set by matching county allocations to courts in the 1994-95 fiscal year. San Joaquin and other counties were suffering the effects of a recession that year, which effectively put their courts financially behind those in other counties that had fared better.
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<br /></span>Part of the remedy, the author writes, is to change how the money for courts is redistributed. Read the rest of the article <a href="http://www.law.com/jsp/ca/PubArticleCA.jsp?id=1202519879063">here.</a>
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<br /></span>Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-42563445015732163752011-10-21T11:39:00.000-07:002011-10-21T11:52:15.073-07:00Cardoza calls it quitsWe called it. Dennis Cardoza, who represented South-Central Stockton, a narrow neck of San Joaquin County, and many parts farther south in Congress, <a href="http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/10/dennis-cardoza-announces-retirement.html">has officially announced its retirement</a>.<br /><br />As many political observers, it's not a shocker. Redistricting left Cardoza without a natural district to defend, and many strong potential candidates he'd have to wrestle.<br /><br />Too bad. Cardoza has been one of few people to stand up and demand relief for the thousands of Central Valley homeowners who were flayed by the housing bubble's collapse. If they could get some refinancing help, maybe they could keep their homes and have more money to put back into the economy, the thinking goes.<br /><br />But so far, observers say <a href="http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20111019%2FA_NEWS0803%2F110190315%2F-1%2FRSS19&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NewsColumnistMichaelFitzgeraldsHeadlines+%28News+Columnist+Michael+Fitzgerald%27s+Headlines%29">the government has been slow to act</a>, and banks have balked.<br /><br />And in just over a year, one of the few voices calling to change that status quo will leave the halls of Congress. Sigh.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-86628836434266756282011-10-21T11:32:00.000-07:002011-10-21T11:39:12.681-07:00Out of the shadowsMichelle Brown isn't around to tell her story. That's why two weeks ago, the Women's Center of San Joaquin County told her story for her as part of a message against domestic violence.<br /><br />The 26-year-old and mother of a 5-year-old daughter was a victim of domestic violence, shot to death by her boyfriend after work while trying to break out of the abusive relationship.<br /><br />A cardboard cutout in City Hall stood in memory of Michelle, a reminder of the message behind Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which is October.<br /><br />Domestic abuse is often a hidden crime. Though we see it in the police log, folks at the Women's Center say it's a crime that's vastly under-reported. And sometimes, when it becomes apparent, it's too late.<br /><br />The cardboard figure outside the council chamber was just one more effort to encourage those who are suffering to step out of the shadows, and a reminder to everyone else about what can happen behind closed doors.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-64590705017094613722011-10-21T11:25:00.000-07:002011-10-21T11:32:53.306-07:00Different power plant, same story<a href="http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111021/A_NEWS/110210309">This story </a>from the Stockton Record should be pretty familiar to folks in Mountain House and Tracy. Build a power plant in Alameda County, send the smog to the San Joaquin Valley.<br /><br />By now, this is no random occurence. It's a pattern. We've seen efforts to do this <a href="http://www.tracypress.com/view/full_story/12777238/article-Power-plant-closer-to-approval?">time</a> and again (though <a href="http://www.tracypress.com/view/full_story/12837070/article-Power-plant-proposal-off-the-table?">not always successfully</a>), and it always seems like San Joaquin County gets the short end of the stick in terms of pollution fallout and lack of tax revenue.<br /><br />Of course, it isn't counties that approve sites for power plants. That is vested with <a href="http://www.energy.ca.gov/">a state agency</a>, though counties can voice their pleasure or umbrage at a possible location. (I'm guessing Alameda County folks don't mind reaping the economic benefits of a plant when the wind will blow the less-than-desirable side effects into someone else's backyard.)<br /><br />Mitigation measures extracted from power producers by our local air pollution control district (in the case of this plant, $200,000 worth) undoubtedly help. But that doesn't excuse the trend.<br /><br />Expect it continue, though, as the area near Mountain House previously targeted for power generators has nearby water supplies and easy hook-ups to electrical infrastructure.<br /><br />Breathe lightly, my friends.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-35828330302028879492011-10-21T11:23:00.001-07:002011-10-21T11:25:31.692-07:00Catch as catch canTime to catch up on some blogging, as we've been fairly buried recently. Expect sporadic updates in the future, as the Press is on the lookout for a new managing editor, as Kelsy Ramos, who was with the paper for nearly 7 years, has stepped down to pursue other interests.<br /><br />We'll try to keep you updated.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-7621129813693032242011-10-11T17:01:00.000-07:002011-10-11T17:06:01.768-07:00Don't be part of the newsOne of the cardinal rules in journalism is, "Report the news. Don't be part of the news."<br /><br /><br />Well, today, at the coming-out party for Jose Hernandez's campaign for Congress, my notepad and pen got caught in the action, when at least a dozen kids pressed forward for autographs before I could grab my interview — another crowd member suggested my pen would be better than their pencils, and my pad would make a good writing platform.<br /><br /><br />Not wanting to disappoint the kids, I temporarily donated the services of my equipment. (Photographic proof below.)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvOzoCd2xRwtyLKhv1ZQGyR9vdK-XAQKr9SeIAKwG25WNqoyqq0Li_ixO982mIxBZ2K0NGI9m24kwd049r4h5xF5OE1K0WeIzek5TBaa7nfWmLVI5H-S0mwfV6dDhFyONsovgn8O0R2g/s1600/notebook2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 398px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662390073298719186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvOzoCd2xRwtyLKhv1ZQGyR9vdK-XAQKr9SeIAKwG25WNqoyqq0Li_ixO982mIxBZ2K0NGI9m24kwd049r4h5xF5OE1K0WeIzek5TBaa7nfWmLVI5H-S0mwfV6dDhFyONsovgn8O0R2g/s400/notebook2.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><div>Darn kids.</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-13665507780627740522011-10-11T12:31:00.000-07:002011-10-11T14:24:03.101-07:00An emotional issue... meeting tonight<a href="http://www.tracypress.com/view/full_story/15945641/article-Second-Thoughts--War-memorial-is-a-matter-of-honor?instance=home_opinion_lead_story">This column</a> about whether or not to put the name of Staff Sgt. David Senft on the Tracy War Memorial after he killed himself during his fourth tour of duty in the Middle East has generated the most response out of any column I've written during my six years at the Tracy Press.<br /><br />For good reason. Honoring servicemen and suicide are extremely emotional issues both. Combine them, and hoo boy.<br /><br />For the record, nearly all the feedback I've received is in support of putting Senft's name on the memorial despite the argument of Scott and Julie Conover, whose son is on the war memorial for dying in battle. They say the fact that Senft took, instead of gave, his life is reason to make a distinction when it comes to the memorial.<br /><br />The Conovers understand it's a touchy subject. I talked to Scott on Friday after the column ran, and he said he respects Senft's family and has the utmost sympathy. But he said that while Senft served bravely, his final action should mean the difference between being on and off the memorial.<br /><br />“We support the military, and we support this family, too, whether they know it or not,” he told me. “We just don’t think a suicide belongs on the war memorial.”<br /><br />For their part, Senft's family thinks he without a doubt deserves the honor. My take is on display in the column.<br /><br />All this emotion promises to play out tonight at the American Legion Hall. I've heard the War Memorial Association plans on moving the meeting into a bigger part of the hall than it's used to — this could be the best-attended WMA meeting in history.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-48257852786474406062011-10-04T10:17:00.000-07:002011-10-04T10:32:46.146-07:00Tracy gets on the anti-cancer bandwagonTracy looks like it's finally getting its cancer-fighting bandwagon rolling with its first Walk for the Cure, an effort of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, an organization dedicated to breast cancer education and eradication.<br /><br />But if that seems <a href="http://www.marshallindependent.com/page/content.detail/id/530246/-Angels--going-for-an-important-walk-Saturday-in-Tracy.html?nav=5015">like a story</a> that sounds like it's not from your corner of San Joaquin County, it's because this is <a href="http://tracy.govoffice.com/">Tracy</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracy,_Minnesota">southwestern Minnesota</a> — it of the 2,163 population. (It's a repeat guest of the "Hey, that's not my Tracy," section of Second Thoughts.)<br /><br />It's not too far off to say it's one Tracy following in the footsteps of another. The Tank Town Tracy has had <a href="http://www.tracypress.com/view/full_story/15878574/article-Relay-For-Life-shatters-annual-goal?instance=home_news_bullets">one of the most successful</a> anti-cancer fundraisers in the most populous state in the union. Good to see one of our smaller sibling cities doing the same thing.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-49758244961596229832011-09-30T14:59:00.000-07:002011-09-30T15:00:30.416-07:00Signs of the seasonTwo cues that fall really is here seen from the road this morning: Red tomatoes scattered on highway asphalt, and grey fog peeking over the Altamont Hills.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-43219484507406971732011-09-29T20:27:00.000-07:002011-09-30T15:01:44.252-07:00Updated: FoodMaxx first grocery big box victim?Back when the city of Tracy was mulling whether to approve — at about the same time — a WinCo supermarket, Walmart Supercenter expansion, and a Raley's, at least one consultant's study warned that there would be casualties among the city's existing grocers.<br /><br />Today, we found that FoodMaxx will close up shop in October.<br /><br />It's hard to tell if FoodMaxx's closure is a direct result of WinCo and Raley's coming to town (Walmart's plans are still in process) but I wouldn't be surprised.<br /><br />Of course, that's the way free markets work. If you can't hang with the competition, you're toast.<br /><br />But this still presents a problem for the city as far as urban planning goes. As in, what happens when the anchor of a strip mall, which FoodMaxx was, disappears? Do the smaller ships drift into oblivion when the anchor's pulled out?<br /><br />Let's hope not.<br /><br /><strong>::Update::</strong><br />Turns out the FoodMaxx won't sit vacant for long. Word on the street is that another market will take over once FoodMaxx departs.<br /><br />Good to hear the storefront won't sit empty long.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-32469640127895823042011-09-27T13:40:00.000-07:002011-09-27T13:46:05.000-07:00Market moves outWork is happening today at the Westside Market, which the city of Tracy <a href="http://www.tracypress.com/view/full_story/14020420/article-Budget-passes-with-unanimous-vote?">recently purchased.</a><br /><br />Employees could be seen packing up boxes and moving out shelves at what was formerly a small grocery on the corner of Eighth Street and Central Avenue downtown.<br /><br />It's not officially known what will be put in its place, but several people close to the matter have suggested the city is seeking a restaurant or some other high-traffic type establishment to further the rejuvenation of downtown as a cultural hub.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-7715660385438208952011-09-21T10:32:00.000-07:002011-09-21T10:41:58.219-07:00Don't bet on a quick turnaroundFitting that at last night's City Council meeting, Finance Director Zane Johnston told councilmembers that the need to trim employee costs was pressing, even though the Measure E sales tax increase doesn't expire for four more years.<br /><br />We haven't seen the light at the end of the tunnel, he said.<br /><br />Truly, he spoke.<br /><br />A UCLA study, <a href="http://www.kcra.com/news/29249465/detail.html">this report says</a>, envisions San Joaquin County lingering in the economic doldrums until at least 2017. It's consistent with what the University of Pacific Economic Forecasting Center has said in its quarterly reports for nigh on a year: The state's coastal and more urban areas are starting to show signs of life, but the Central Valley will continue to lag behind.<br /><br />That means cities like Tracy, which have a budget to balance, would do well to get into the black sooner rather than later.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-70054772722125881752011-09-14T10:53:00.000-07:002011-09-14T11:17:48.702-07:00The end of butterfly seasonLast week, anyone exiting or entering Tracy on 11th Street east of town got a little something extra for free — a new coat of yellow paint.<br /><br />Well, not paint so much as the remains of hundreds of bright yellow butterflies that flitted over and across that stretch of pavement. Beautiful to watch, but sad — there's no way to avoid turning your car into a giant bug swatter. Not to mention, they're a pain to clean.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-46567457603002850962011-09-06T11:03:00.000-07:002011-09-06T11:11:42.347-07:00A nation of cowards?Another poll, another set of data that suggest maybe Americans don't value their freedom as much as they say they do.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gBaK0p622wltcxOYy-OUf-TMqAbQ?docId=26bb3fd43ba6461b80a86faedb2f3c22">This one </a>suggests that a majority of Americans — including, no doubt, many of the "get your government hands off my Medicare" types — are willing to trade freedoms for security.<br /><br />At some level, it's common sense. We do this all the time. Think stop lights and speed limits — we give up our freedom to drive however the hell we want in the interest of public safety. Because obeying a certain set of rules makes us all less likely to end up roadkill.<br /><br />But what we're talking about here is different.<br /><br />We're talking in the context of national security, giving the government widespread power to search and snoop without warrants or other advance notice. The bogeyman of terrorism, since Sept. 11, 2001, has been used to justify all sorts of government overreach, and our federal government is perhaps more cloaked in secrecy than ever before.<br /><br />Government secrecy — and untouchable authority — is the enemy of republicanism and democracy. And now we have proof that a majority of U.S. citizens seem willing to go along for that ride.<br /><br />I'll leave today with one thought, cribbed from the mind of none other than Ben Franklin: "Those who sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither."<br /><br />You can bet Ben wasn't talking about traffic signals.Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-43447482988946177172011-08-31T16:59:00.001-07:002011-08-31T17:18:07.847-07:00Hotter in the classroomsA parent wrote in to complain this week that local schools had the air conditioning turned off a week ago, during one of the hotter days of this relatively mild summer.
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<br />Intrigued, Second Thoughts investigated.
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<br />Turns out, it is indeed warmer on Tracy Unified campuses this year. Just not when classes are in session.
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<br />The district, in an effort to save money and be an environmental steward, ratchets down the air conditioning after classes are out in the afternoons. But when school is in session, a district spokeswoman said, students should be appropriately cooled.
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<br />Of course, that doesn't account for equipment breakdowns and that kind of thing. But there's no plan in place to save a few bucks by baking the kids.
<br />Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-79750398690766912842011-08-29T16:54:00.000-07:002011-08-29T17:00:56.712-07:00Another hit to local journalismAn area newspaper is taking a big hit, and it isn't the Tracy Press. It's a paper that competes with the Press for local coverage: The San Joaquin Herald.
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<br />The Herald is the San Joaquin edition of the Tri-Valley Herald, owned by Bay Area News Group, which also owns pretty much every major paper between here and San Francisco that isn't named "Weekly" or "Chronicle."
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<br />Soon, it'll be known as The Times, and will officially be merged with the Contra Costa Times and East County Times. But re-naming isn't important — ANG has repackaged the same content for different papers for years. What's big news is the company is using the consolidation as an opportunity to lay off 40 people from its newsrooms — 17 percent of its news staff.
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<br />While the company claims this will allow it to "offer additional value for readers," it's hard to imagine how employing fewer news-gatherers will help these papers — ostensibly news-gathering organizations — better inform the people who turn to them to help make sense of the world.
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<br />Some might think the Press would celebrate a competitor downsizing, but that's far from the case. No blow to the journalism industry — and fellow journalists — is welcomed. No one here wants to see more journalists unemployes and less vital information get to the hands of our readers.
<br />Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378641028796404396.post-9968669163994384422011-08-22T12:00:00.000-07:002011-08-22T12:12:36.277-07:00McNerney's homegrown challengeRicky Gill, the bright political up-and-comer challenging Rep. Jerry McNerney in the 9th District in 2012, opened his campaign with a salvo this morning, buying full-page ads <a href="http://www.rickygill.com/documents/RickyGill_OpenLetter.pdf">featuring an open letter </a>in two 9th District newspapers (Mountain House is in the 9th District, Tracy is in the 10th).
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<br />He came out swinging, mostly focusing on his in-district credentials, while painting McNerney as an out-of-town, and out-of-touch, carpetbagger:
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<br />"The fact is, Jerry McNerney has had five years to learn about and address our valley issues, and he just hasn't done the job. A first step in turning around our local economy is to stop outsourcing our Congressional representation in Washington to the East Bay. ... If you remember one thing about me from this letter, it's that I'm running for Congress not just to vote on your behalf, but to <em>lead</em> on behalf of our entire community." (emphais his)
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<br />At first glance, his letter is a powerful statement in favor of San Joaquin County residents. On second, closer look, it's a mixed bag.
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<br />He's absolutely right that San Joaquin County and the Delta region require their own voice in Congress, someone who knows the issues here and is dedicated to addressing them and fighting for its residents. But is homegrown synonymous with local knowledge?
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<br />Gill's examples that highlight McNerney's out-of-town status could be viewed as McNerney's ignorance of local issues — or they could equally be viewed as McNerney's informed stances that don't jibe with Gills'. I'd say it's more the latter than the former, but that's my personal take.
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<br />Ultimately, it'll be up for voters to decide whether Gill, a Lodi native, is the best man to represent the region's interests; if McNerney, with several years experience representing most of San Joaquin County can do the best job; or if that distinction lies with somebody else.
<br />Jon Mendelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02842221456853513469noreply@blogger.com0